My Brother's Keeper
by madladypoet
Summary: One-Shot. After Dream a Little Dream. Sam had a dream that leads him to see what would really happen to Dean if he went to hell.


Supernatural

One-Shot

My Brother's Keeper

After Dream a Little Dream episode. Sam has a dream that leads him to see what will really happen to Dean if he doesn't find a way to save his brother.

_Indianapolis, Indiana_

_3 am_

Sam Winchester awoke with a start. He had not been sleeping well since the brothers' last gig in Pittsburgh and tried to convince himself that it was just stress. But Sam knew himself better than that. It wasn't the stress of the gig, which while unusual, was nothing that Sam had not seen before; it was the stress of knowing that time was running out for Dean. Sam had thought of countless ways that he could save his brother, spending hours online researching, having long conversations with Bobby who was also looking for a way out for Dean, yet nothing could be found. Sam remembered the crossroads demon words, "Someone else wants Dean in hell." Sam shuddered to think who that might be since the yellow-eyed demon was destroyed.

Still, Sam and Bobby were not willing to give up hope even if Dean had already done so. Sam had spent the last several months begging his brother to actually care about saving his own life and it appears that whatever happened during Dean's dreamwalk during their Pittsburgh gig finally forced Dean to care about himself. Dean had yet to tell Sam the contents of his dreamwalk, but whatever it was, Sam was grateful to it.

Getting up, Sam stretched and walked to the window. It was raining outside. Sam always loved the rain. It felt as though the earth was being renewed and Sam was a person who believed in second chances. He knew that for himself going to Stanford and meeting Jessica gave him the strength to face what came later. He would always be grateful for his time at Stanford and hoped that one day he could return. Even so, Sam knew that demon hunting had been all Dean had ever known and that his brother, famously loyal to the death, would never have given up demon hunting although it made Dean pretty miserable.

Turning around, Sam looked and saw that Dean was not in his bed and that the shower was running. Sam was surprised to see that Dean was taking a shower so late, but was too tired to question it. Walking back to bed, Sam climbed in and was grateful to be lying in a comfortable bed for a change. Staring at the ceiling, it occurred to Sam how much their relationship had changed. Since they were kids, Dean had always taken care of Sam; now their roles were reversed with Sam trying to take care of Dean. Despite the people they had lost and how much their own lives were at stake, Sam was grateful that he was finally given the opportunity to take care of his brother. Dean deserved at least that much for all he had done for Sam and countless others. Thinking again about how he was going to save his brother, Sam fell asleep.

_6am_

Sam awoke again. This time, he was uneasy. The smell of sulphur burned his nose and throat and the shower was still running in the bathroom. Sitting up, he looked over and saw that Dean was still not in his bed. Now worried, Sam got up and went over to the door. Knocking gently, Sam called Dean's name. There was no response. Sam knocked again and tried the door. It was unlocked. Holding his breath, Sam opened the door. Dean was sitting near the tub with a young woman in his arms. At first glance, they appeared to be intimate and Sam having walked in on Dean and his women too many times before, turned to walk away. But something about the scene gave Sam a pause; turning back he looked again.

With his back to the tub, Dean had the young woman lying across his legs. They were both dressed, much to Sam's relief. Looking at his brother closely, Sam noticed that Dean was running his fingers through the young woman's hair. Dean seemed to be lifting each individual curl in her hair only to watch it fall. It was as though Dean was mesmerized by this repetitive act. Yet Sam noticed that the young women did not move at all. Becoming concerned, Sam decided to let his brother know that he was in the room.

"Umm, Dean?" asked Sam tentatively. "What's going on?"

Dean didn't answer. Instead he continued to lift the young woman's individual curls only to watch them fall again. Now extremely worried, Sam decided to get down to eye level with Dean and sat himself on the floor. At this level, Sam was able to get a better look at the situation. He could not see Dean's face and Dean did not appear to notice that Sam was even in the room. Looking at the girl, Sam saw that she was quite pretty with long dark curly hair, brown eyes and dark skin. She could have easily been a model on Dean's favorite website "Busty Asian Sam had to smile. Leave it to Dean to find the prettiest girl and bring her back to his place. While Sam was never entirely comfortable with his brother's overt sexuality, he had to admire Dean's style and comfort with the opposite sex. Looking back at Dean, Sam realized that his brother had never even acknowledged that Sam was in the room.

"Dean" said Sam so loudly that his voice echoed off the walls of the bathroom, "What is going on?"

Dean continued to play with the girl's hair and did not look up once. Sam decided that he had enough and reached for the girl. Dean was acting strangely and Sam figured that the girl might be in danger and it would be best to get her away from Dean. Putting his hand on her shoulder, Sam realized that the girl's skin was cold to touch. Leaning over, he put his hand on her neck to feel for a pulse. It was only then that Sam saw something protruding on the side of her neck. Gently pressing his fingers against it, Sam realized that it was bone. Feeling bile rise to his throat, Sam stared into the girl's eyes and grasped that she was dead. Looking at Dean, Sam felt tears sting his eyes. He thought Dean had somehow made a breakthrough in Pittsburgh, when instead, Dean had experienced a breakdown. Reaching again for the girl, Sam felt his arm grasped tightly by Dean.

"Don't touch her, Sammy." whispered Dean's voice savagely. "She's mine."

Letting go of Sam's arm, Dean continue his caress of the girl, now concentrating his efforts on her body. Dean ran his hands over her face, down her neck and over her breasts.

"She'll always be mine." came another whisper from Dean.

"What is wrong with you!" cried out Sam. "I thought that you wanted to save yourself." "How could you do this?"

"Sammy, Sammy" lisped Dean. "I never could save myself." "It's my destiny."

"Your destiny?" asked Sam, barely containing his anger. "Your destiny to become what?"

Dean looked up at Sam for the first time and Sam felt himself recoil in horror. Dean's eyes were black. Dean had become the very thing he was afraid of: a demon.

"I couldn't escape my destiny, Sammy." said a grinning Dean. "I am going to die and this is what I am going to become." Pausing Dean looked down at the dead woman and then back at Sam with a smile.

"No woman will ever be safe from me, Sammy." stated Dean. "You're going to have to kill me."

"Dean . . ." began Sam.

"Don't tell me you can't" said Dean. "Do you want the blood of these women on your hands?" "Women like Jess and Madison?"

Sam couldn't look at Dean. It was too painful. It seems that no matter what Sam did; Dean somehow suffered. It was because of Sam that their mother died. It was because of Sam that Dean did not have a normal childhood. And when Sam left for college and a new life, he left Dean alone. Now, Dean was going to die because had been unable to keep his guard up, forcing Dean to make a deal to trade his own life for Sam's. Life, thought Sam, had been cruel to Dean and becoming a demon was the final injustice. Taking a breath, Sam looked up at Dean whose black eyes seemed to be mocking him. Finding some inner strength, Sam stared directly at the demon and stated, "You are not going to win, and you are not taking my brother from me."

Dean laughed. "Look at you, little Sammy Winchester, all brave, since when have you become your brother's keeper?

Unable to control his temper, Sam grabbed Dean and slammed him against the wall. Instead of fighting back, Dean merely laughed at Sam's audacity. Looking into Sam's eyes with his own black ones, Dean leaned forward so that he and Sam were face-to-face. "Little Sammy Winchester, your brother's keeper, you can't stop Dean from fulfilling his destiny because he had chosen to embrace his darkness."

Staring at Sam mockingly, he continued "Once he becomes one of us, there is no limit to what he can do, so you are going to have to kill him."

Cocking his hand to one side, Dean took measure of his little brother, "Can you do that, little Sammy Winchester?"

Letting go of Dean, Sam realized that he was right. If Dean had truly chosen to embrace his inner demon, then Sam had to do the right thing and destroy his brother. Grabbing Dean again, Sam slammed his brother's head against the wall. Dean fall on the ground with the impact leaving a bloody mark on the wall. Grabbing the lid of the toilet, Sam swung at Dean's head over and over again until there was nothing left but a bloody mess. Letting go of the toilet, Sam slumped against the sink, tears streaming down his face. He had wanted to save Dean and give Dean the chance at a life that he deserved. Instead, he had killed the only person in the world who had ever truly loved him. Sam sat on the floor and cried as he had not done in a long time. Hearing footsteps behind him, Sam turned and nearly jumped out of his skin. He couldn't believe who he was looking at.

"Little Sammy Winchester," said Dean whose black eyes were staring at him with mock amusement, "we underestimated you." He began to clap only adding to Sam's pain. "Maybe you can lead an army of darkness across this land."

Sam glared and stood up. "I'll never help you."

Dean smiled and shook his head. "Oh Sammy, but you will." Staring at Sam, Dean smiled, "You'll see." Raising his hand, Dean snapped his fingers.

_7 am_

Sam sat up in bed immediately. Looking over at Dean's bed, he saw that his brother was awake and already dressed. Sam sighed with deep relief and laid back down. Dean looked over at Sam and grinned.

"Boy, that must have been some dream." said a grinning Dean. "Who was it?"

Looking at Dean with a sheepish grin, Sam decided not to tell his brother about his dream until he could figure out what it meant. Instead he told Dean, "It was one of your girls from Busty Asian grin widen. "Dude, I told you that website was awesome." Getting up, Dean grabbed his coffee, "I swear if I don't make it out of this deal, that website is coming with me to hell."

Sam bit his lip. "Dean, I thought you didn't want to die."

Smiling at Sam, Dean responded "I don't want to die, Sammy, but it's always good to be prepared."

Now it was Sam's turn to smile, "So of all the things you could take to hell, your taking porn?"

"Hey," said Dean "I'll fit right in."

Becoming serious, Sam looked at his brother, "Dean, I'm going to find a way to get you out of this deal."

Sitting on his own bed, Dean stared somberly at his brother, "Sammy, I don't want to die, but if I try to get out of this deal, then I lose you." Stirring his coffee, Dean stared at Sam with a pained expression "I would rather go to hell than live with that."

Sam managed a grin at his brother "Back at you, Dean."

"What?" quizzed Dean looking amused. "You're my keeper now?"

"Yep," said Sam standing up. "Just live with it."

Dean didn't respond, but merely shook his head. Without speaking, he and Sam got ready for another day in the trenches.


End file.
